


Blossoming Nirvana

by myrthrilmercury



Category: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Emotional, Established Relationship, Frottage, Kissing in the Rain, M/M, Making Out, Mythology References, Rain, Rain Sex, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Romance, Self Confidence Issues, Sequel, Stargazing, Summer, Tumblr Prompt, Tumblr: otpprompts, unintentional symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:31:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3928225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myrthrilmercury/pseuds/myrthrilmercury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike and Joel have a romantic night of stargazing ruined by a rainstorm, but in the end, it doesn't matter.</p><p>Takes place two years after the events of "Beacon in the Night." Based on a prompt from the OTP Prompts Tumblr page.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blossoming Nirvana

**Author's Note:**

> The original OTPPrompts Tumblr prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> _“Imagine your OTP enjoying a night of stargazing. Things are going well, and romantic, they start to kiss/make out and a storm hits. But instead of seeking shelter from the rain they make love under the night sky not caring if they’re drenched. They’re just caught up in the moment of passion itself, the heated air of summer only provides a good reason to enjoy it.”_
> 
>  
> 
> I had originally intended "Beacon in the Night" as a one shot. Then this happened. It always seems to work that way.

The heat of the day had been stifling, and the mid-July night was still scorching long after night had fallen. Of course it got hot during the summer, but this was ridiculous. As far as Mike was concerned, this was the kind of night where you sprawled out in the coolest room in the house and tried not to move unless you needed to adjust your position to catch the most air from the fan in the corner of the room.

So of course Joel wanted to spend it outside. 

They finally had a night alone, and were now alone at the summit of a trail they had walked five miles to reach, lying on their backs and staring at the tapestry of stars above them. It had been almost a month since their last date night, and they were only able to get this one after Joel convinced Stacey, the high school sophomore who ran the cash register at the hot fish shop on weekends, to babysit the ‘bots for a few hours. Stacey had initially been reluctant, but warmed up to the idea once she realized there was money involved. Hopefully they weren’t too much of a handful; otherwise Joel might have to throw in some hazard pay as well. On the other hand, though, Mike figured that perhaps they had inadvertently come up with the world’s best teen pregnancy prevention program. Joel hadn’t been terribly receptive to that idea, however. 

Joel often came to this spot on nights when he needed to be alone, and Mike could understand why. There was no light pollution and the view really was incredible. If you stared long enough, your mind began to play tricks on you, and it felt as if your body was floating upwards and would be consumed by the night sky. While he had certainly looked up at the stars when he was younger, Mike hadn’t been into astronomy like Joel had, but after being on the other side of the looking glass, suddenly the night sky had more significance. Now, back on Earth, it was more like being outside, peeking in. 

“There’s Cygnus.”

Mike turned his head left to face Joel. “Hmm?” 

“I can’t really see Andromeda though. It’s probably too early.” 

“Where am I supposed to be looking?” 

“Further off to our left. See that really bright star near the trees over there? That’s the head.”

Mike sat up a little bit and squinted until he saw what Joel was talking about. “Oh, yeah.”

“That was the first summer constellation I ever figured out how to spot.” 

Mike nodded. He had heard several stories about how Joel had often been stargazing when he was younger, but this was a new one. “You said something about Andromeda?”

“No, never mind,” Joel replied hastily.

“Why?”

Joel turned his head away from Mike. “It’s embarrassing.” 

“What? I thought there were no more secrets between us.” Mike pushed himself into a fully seated position. “Come on, what about Andromeda?”

Joel took a long, deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Well…” He pushed himself up and turned to face Mike. “You know the myth of Andromeda?”

“The chained maiden?” Mike asked.

Joel nodded. “Yeah. Once I got back to Earth after my second trip to the SOL, I…began thinking.” Joel sighed. “This is going to sound really stupid.”

Mike realized that Joel was about to say something really important. He was always incredibly dismissive of himself when it came to something really personal. “No, it won’t.” 

“It will. But…” Joel paused for a few moments until he worked up the courage to continue. “When I had to leave you and the ‘bots, it felt like I found Andromeda, but hadn’t been strong enough to rescue her.”

Mike placed a hand on Joel’s shoulder. Even after Joel had rescued all of them a year ago, he clearly had still not reconciled with the guilt from his previous trip to the SOL one year before that. “But you did.”

“Not at that time, I didn’t.” Joel leaned towards the hand on his shoulder. “When I was still getting all the parts together, I kept thinking of myself as Perseus and you as Andromeda. Stupid, I know.”

“Perseus saved Andromeda.” Mike reached out and pulled Joel closer to him. “Like you saved me.”

“It took me so long.” Joel wrapped his right arm around Mike’s waist. “That wasn’t even the worst part. I never saw you, never heard from you…”

“But you came back, like you promised.” Mike lightly kissed Joel’s cheek. “It was really tough, I’ll admit it. But I stayed strong, like you told me. At least, I think I did.”

“You did.”

“Stop worrying so much. I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.” Mike kissed Joel again, this time on the lips. “We’re together now. Everything will be fine.” He kissed Joel a little longer now, hoping to ward off the anxiety before it could return. This was all he could do whenever Joel’s self-doubt threatened to consume him: hold him close, kiss him, and reassure him that everything would be all right.

Joel ran his fingers down the side of Mike’s left cheek. Mike could see the conflict between confidence and anxiety playing out behind those brown eyes. “And you’ll be here until…until the end?”

Mike lifted his hand to meet Joel’s, and placed both of their hands in his lap. “Not until the end. Forever.”

“Forever…” Joel repeated, closing his eyes. He gripped Mike’s hand tightly in his, then opened his eyes and gazed intently at Mike. “I love you, my Andromeda.”

No matter how many times Joel said it, it never failed to put Mike’s soul at ease, and confirm that the road he had been down over the years, with all its bumps and pitfalls, had been completely worth it. “I love you too, Joel.” 

Joel’s next kiss contained not only tenderness, but also need: the need to be close, to give and receive affection, to surrender to the chimera of love and passion. 

Then suddenly, as quickly as he had moved forward, Joel pulled away and looked around, seemingly confused.

“What’s wrong?” Mike asked, hoping this wasn’t another anxiety attack.

Fortunately, the reply was much more mundane. “Is it raining? I swear I felt something.”

Mike glanced up at the sky and observed that the previously brilliant display of stars above them had disappeared into an all-encompassing sea of blackness. “Hmm. Maybe something is moving in.”

“We should go.” Joel began to get up, but aborted the effort when Mike grabbed him by his right wrist and pulled him back down. 

“How far did we walk again? If it does start raining, we’ll get soaked regardless.” Mike pulled on Joel’s wrist again. “Come on. We’re finally alone. Stay here with me awhile.” As he moved in to kiss Joel again, he felt the first few raindrops against his arms. It was only a light drizzle. There was no reason for Joel to be worried so much.

That was Joel’s greatest flaw: his mind never stopped working. This was both a blessing and a curse. Yes, he was brilliant, both academically and mechanically. But a nonstop mind was always a double-edged sword: with the constant stream of thoughts came the inability to filter out the noise from the signals, or to stop thinking from time to time and just relax and let go. That mind did not come with an off switch, and if neither of them paid close enough attention to keep it in equilibrium, it just might drive Joel mad one day. 

Mike half-reflected on this fact as he gently pushed Joel down on his back and lightly pushed his tongue forward, taking in the sound of the sharp intake of breath that followed. Joel then began to come alive underneath him, his breath quickening as he pulled Mike closer, grabbing fistfuls of Mike’s shirt as he kissed him ardently.

The drizzle had upgraded to a steady rain at this point, and Mike could feel his dampening clothes pushing down against his skin as the rain continued to fall. The sensation of the wet material kindled a previously dormant arousal, moving it first and foremost to the front reaches of his mind. 

Joel squirmed underneath him, protesting between the barrage of quick, urgent kisses. “Mike, we…really…should be…going…”

“Shhh.” Mike quieted Joel with one gentle, lingering kiss before leaning to one side and nibbling on Joel’s left ear. Any apprehension from Joel now melted away, weak as melting snow, as Mike maneuvered his teeth and tongue around that one sweet spot by the lower earlobe that always drove Joel crazy. Mike could feel Joel’s hands slip underneath his shirt and move slowly up his back.

He must have been stressed out. Joel usually didn’t get this worked up in such a short amount of time. Then again, this was the peak season at the shop, which meant more customers, more work, and more stress for Joel. Whether it was at home or in the shop, Joel always ran a tight ship and kept everything running smoothly, often to his own detriment. He was always putting others first, whether it be Mike, the ‘bots, the suppliers, or the customers. 

Mike lightly traced his lips down the side of Joel’s cheek and moved down to his neck, covering the nape with gentle, languid kisses as he haphazardly began pulling at Joel’s clothes.

It was well beyond time for someone else to take care of Joel for a change.

Joel leaned up slightly to assist Mike with removing his clothes, and couldn’t help but laugh when he realized that the rain was falling at a faster, steadier pace. “I bet you’re soaked.”

Mike grinned in response. “So are you.”

“I think you should get out of those wet clothes.”

“I agree.” Neither of them seemed to be able to remove Mike’s clothing quickly enough, but the discarded garb eventually joined Joel’s in a nearby heap on the ground. They pressed against each other in another kiss, taking in the sensations of one another’s mouths, tongues, and bodies, as well as the raindrops that ran in rivulets down their skin as the rainstorm increased in intensity. 

Joel offered no resistance as Mike gently pushed him back down and returned to Joel’s neck, darting his tongue back and forth across the skin. Once he felt Joel’s fingers splayed across his back, Mike began gradually making his way down, exploring Joel’s chest with his tongue, and basking in the labored breaths and low whimpers underneath him. After what must have seemed like an eternity to Joel, Mike darted his tongue across the left nipple, evoking a gasp. The gasp turned into a low, desperate moan as Mike took the flesh into his mouth and contracted his lips around it.

Joel hadn’t made _that_ particular sound in quite some time. The normal role of providing stability and oversight in all of his roles really took its toll on him, especially in tandem with that mind that never stopped working, even for a moment. Oftentimes, their roles were reversed in the bedroom. But Mike knew very well: whenever Joel got this aroused this quickly, and started making those sounds, he was getting dangerously close to his breaking point. To regroup, what Joel really needed was to relinquish control, to be liberated, to _lose himself._

On the occasions when Joel gave in to the ultimate act of surrender, it was clearly a spiritual and psychological release as well as a physical one. It was like watching a lotus bud opening: each opening of the petals was a path to enlightenment, a spiritual serenity, a revelation of his true self. The petals would later close and sink back into the water, but the image of the pure, unfolded blossom remained emblazoned in the mind of one fortunate enough to experience the ephemera; and one hoped to ascend to the spiritual plane necessary to witness it again.

Judging by Joel’s reaction when Mike moved his attention to the other nipple, he’d definitely need to surrender himself sooner rather than later. Mike hadn’t had the foresight to bring the lube, but it wouldn’t last long in the rain anyway. That would have to wait for another time.

Mike resumed his exploration of Joel, moving down slowly, ignoring the writhing and groaning in protest underneath him. Right now, surrender wasn’t all that important. What Joel really needed, despite trying to hurry Mike along and having each attempt thwarted, was to be _worshiped._

At long last, Mike made his way down to the junction of Joel’s legs, but opted to extend the journey a bit. Using the palm of his hand, he pushed Joel’s right knee away, then moved his head down, dragging his hair across the skin of Joel’s inner thigh before running his tongue slowly upwards, stopping at the hipbone. The deep, extended moan that resulted indicated that Joel was really close. One wrong move could spoil everything.

Mike pushed himself up and maneuvered so that they were evenly aligned, and he was looking straight into Joel’s eyes. Or, at least, he would be, but the darkness and the rain made judging his exact position more difficult. Clearly, Joel sensed his presence, as he reached up and grabbed Mike’s shoulders before pulling him down for a kiss. There was an instant of friction as Mike shifted downward into the kiss, and it wasn’t until that very moment that he realized just how incredibly worked up he was.

They held each other close as they entwined their rain-slicked bodies, grinding together, melding their mouths one last time before pulling back to breathe. They move slowly at first, then faster and faster, with Mike’s ragged gasps matching Joel’s ecstatic pleas and moans interspersed with wailing Mike’s name.

The tremors came in ripples, then in waves, as Joel clutched his arms against Mike’s back, throwing his head to one side and sounding an extended, undulating cry as he came. It was blissful, transcendent, phenomenal, and clearly rejuvenating.

It was one of the most beautiful things Mike had ever heard.

Mike’s peak came soon after, triggered by both the quivering and the ambrosial moan beneath him. He pulled Joel closer and clutched him tightly, grunting through the spasms until collapsing against Joel’s chest and shoulders, completely spent. As they lay in place attempting to regain their bearings, the rain began to subside, leveling off to a light shower, then a drizzle, before the storm ceased.

Mike shook his head. “Oh sure, _now_ it clears up.” 

“I’m the idiot who didn’t check the weather.” Joel couldn’t help but laugh, and continued laughing uncontrollably as Mike pushed himself off Joel and began feeling around for his clothes.

“Well, okay then,” Mike said as he tried wringing out his shirt with barely any effect. “I guess you needed that.” 

“Sorry, I just…” Joel pushed himself into a seated position and ran a hand through his hair, brushing off the grass that had accumulated. “What’s Stacey going to say when she sees us?”

Mike had no idea just how heavy wet material could be until he began getting dressed. “She’s 16. If she doesn’t put two and two together, then I’ll _really_ start worrying about her.” 

Joel began fumbling with his own clothes. “Can we at least pretend she has some shred of innocence?”

“Considering that she doesn’t realize she’s the reason Evan Richardson has been spending an inordinate amount of time and money at the shop lately, I think there’s plenty.” Mike looked up at the sky again and observed that the clouds were beginning to break. The stars would come back out in a little while.

Joel chuckled. “I knew there was a reason he and the rest of the drumline have been hanging out there lately.” He pushed himself back to his feet. “We’d better go. I need to give Stacey a ride home.”

Mike nodded and let Joel help him up. “Yeah, hopefully the ‘bots haven’t destroyed everything yet.”

They began heading back down the hill when Mike stopped and looked back up at the sky. “Can we come back here again sometime?”

“I’ll probably have to ask Stacey to watch the ‘bots again, but sure.” Joel took a few more steps forward, but Mike stayed behind, staring at the stars that were gradually coming back, one by one.

“So…where can I find Andromeda? Assuming it’s not too late, of course.”

Joel stopped and turned to face Mike. “There’s no need for me to go searching for Andromeda anymore. I already have her here.” With that, he turned and resumed his descent.

Smiling, Mike looked back up at the sky one final time before rushing over to catch up with Joel.


End file.
